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Washington (CNN) - After two years of endless debate and a national election, Democrats and Republicans on Thursday found themselves right where they started -- blaming each other for stagnant negotiations on taxes and government spending. This time, they face an imminent deadline of automatic tax increases and spending cuts in 33 days -- the looming fiscal cliff at the end of the year that economists fear could cause another recession. After meeting separately with President Barack Obama's point man on the talks, top congressional Democrats and Republicans said the failure to move forward was the other side's fault. House...

The White House said on Thursday that Iran has a limited window of time to accept the West's conditions regarding its nuclear weapons program. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters the U.S. is "closely studying" the UN International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) quarterly report on Iran, "but broadly speaking it is not surprising that Iran is continuing to violate its obligations." "As the report illustrates," he added, "we are in a position to closely observe Iran's program." Carney said the US has told Iran that "The window of opportunity to resolve this remains open ... but it will...

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has added to his pre-negotiations demands. After telling Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to choose “between peace and settlements,” he has reiterated his demand for a full construction freeze, but has added demands that Israel release terrorists and add arms to the PA police force. “We recently told them that if Israel accepted to free prisoners and allow us to re-arm the police then we would again sit at the same table as Netanyahu,” Abbas said at a press conference in France. Abbas also defended his demand for a complete construction freeze, saying it was not...

First Lady Michelle Obama may have ostensibly been on The Daily Show last night to talk about her new book on healthy eating and vegetables, but Jon Stewart only wanted to talk about the other green stuff—namely, the President’s former drug use, which has resurfaced in the news recently. In the two-segment interview, the First Lady was charming, but clearly was going to stay entirely on-message, touting the President’s record with regard to ending the war in Iraq, health care, and childhood education. Watch part one of the interview, where Obama discusses the famed White House Garden and “vegetable feasts”...

It’s no longer possible to pretend we don’t know the intentions of Iran’s rulers. They are telling us — candidly, clearly, and repeatedly. Most recently last Sunday: Addressing a gathering in Tehran, Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, vowed the “full annihilation of the Zionist regime of Israel to the end.” A few days earlier, José Maria Aznar, former prime minister of Spain, during a presentation at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, a respected Israeli think tank, recalled a “private discussion” in Tehran in October of 2000 with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who...

Iran said Wednesday it will present "new initiatives" at upcoming nuclear talks with the so-called P5+1 in Istanbul on April 15. Iranian state media reported that Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili would present new proposals, but did not give specifics. Jalili also warned that what he called attempts to us the “language of force” against Iran would be “useless” and would "backfire." He added that Iran believes the talks should be based on “mutual cooperation.” Representatives from the P5+1 – the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany – have made it clear they expect Iran...

JERUSALEM – President Obama has been engaged in secret, back-channel talks with Iran in which he informed Tehran’s leaders he is completely opposed to any Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to informed Middle Eastern officials. The officials told WND the behind-the-scenes talks aim to secure a guarantee from Iran that it will not retaliate against the U.S. in the event of any Israeli military strike, the officials said. It was unclear what, if anything, Obama offered Iran in exchange for a pledge against targeting U.S. installations, including in the Gulf. The State Department did not immediately return a...

The final “exploratory” meeting between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization ended Wednesday in Amman with no progress, official said. PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat and Israeli attorney Yitzchak Mocho made little headway in their fifth meeting, the last before the January 26 deadline set by the Quartet of peacekeeping nations to break the impasse and relaunch direct talks for a final status agreement between the two sides. "Israel has not advanced one step towards resuming negotiations,” a PLO representative told the AFP news agency. Nevertheless, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh characterized the talks as “serious” despite the disagreements on both...

PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat vowed to terminate exploratory talks between Jerusalem and Ramallah after January 26 if Israel does not freeze construction in the disputed territories. "The Amman talks are intended to obtain a colony freeze and the use of the 1967 lines as a reference for any future talks, and will be given a chance to succeed until January 26," Erakat told AFP. His comments come after two rounds of meetings between the two sides' respective team leaders in Amman, Jordan under the auspices of the Hashemite monarchy and Quartet for Middle East Peace. The Quartet - comprised...

A meeting in Jordan between Israeli and PA negotiators in Jordan ended Monday night with no new breakthroughs reported. Israeli negotiator Yitzchak Molcho met with PA negotiator Saeb Erekat in Amman. The meeting was hosted by the Quartet and Jordan. This was the second meeting between the two since talks were revived several weeks ago. Another meeting is set to take place over the weekend...

States imperilled by warming rebel at climate talksBy Nina Chestney and Jon Herskovitz Saturday, December 10, 2011 **SNIP** The U.N. negotiators regrouped in 2010 in Cancun, where a more modest programme of action and a set of voluntary pledges to curb carbon emissions were drawn up. Scientists say those promises are not yet enough to limit global warming to the two degrees Celsius judged necessary to stave off the most devastating effects of climate change. U.N. reports released in the last month show time is running out. A warming planet has already intensified droughts and floods, increased crop failures and...

The US has announced it will resume bilateral talks with North Korea on the reclusive nation's nuclear programme and appointed a new envoy to the communist state. Mark Toner, the state department spokesman, said on Wednesday the talks between US officials and a North Korean delegation would take place on Monday and Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting comes nearly three months after US and North Korean officials met in New York, ending a long break in direct engagement with Pyongyang. In an interview with the Russian state news agency Itar-Tass published on Wednesday, Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader,...

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- President Obama discussed the Middle East and education policy in a pre-Rosh Hashanah call with rabbis. Close to 900 rabbis listened in on Obama's call Thursday afternoon, which was arranged by the Reform movement's Religious Action Center. Obama has made such calls since 2009, the first year of his presidency. He fielded two questions, one about what the changes of the Arab Spring mean for Israel, the other about funding for schools. Obama said the United States was committed to Israel. He noted close U.S.-Israel cooperation and his efforts to isolate Iran as long as it advances...

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Back to work! President Obama said today that next week he will unveil “a series of steps that Congress can take immediately” to help grow the economy and create jobs, his two top priorities. “That’s our urgent mission,” Obama said as he nominated economist Alan Krueger to head his Council of Economic Advisers. “That’s what I’m fighting for every single day.” I’m fighting for it every day, the president said, upon ending his nine-day vacation. I’m sure the caddies of the nation thank him. Obama and aides are working on a major speech for next week centered on the nation’s...

Turkey demanded on Tuesday that the Syrian government stop the killing of civilians, Reuters reported. Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, made the demands during talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus. He later told reporters in Ankara that his country will be watching developments in Syria in the days ahead. “Developments in the coming days will be critical, for both Syria and Turkey,” Davutoglu was quoted by Reuters as saying. “Turkey’s main and first aim is for the bloodshed to be stopped, and (for) an end to civilian deaths.” Davutoglu said he had clearly stated Turkey’s expectations in his...

NEW YORK (AP) — Two days of exploratory talks between the U.S. and North Korea have ended, and North Korea's top envoy is describing them as "constructive and businesslike." Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, emerged from the meeting Friday afternoon following two days of discussions with U.S. Ambassador Stephen Bosworth, the Obama administration's top envoy on North Korean affairs.

<p>Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said Sunday that he did not initially think lawmakers would bring the debt-ceiling negotiations "this close to the edge," appearing taken aback by the lingering distance between the two sides with an Aug. 2 deadline looming.</p>

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The Libyan government spokesman said Monday that representatives of Moammar Gadhafi's embattled government held face-to-face talks with U.S. officials on repairing ties between the nations. A U.S. State Department official confirmed the meeting took place but said it was only to deliver the message that Gadhafi must step down and no future meetings were planned. The meeting came after Friday's decision by the United States and more than 30 other nations meeting in Istanbul to recognize the eastern-based rebels fighting Gadhafi's government as the country's legitimate representatives, added the official, who spoke on the condition of...

Biden warns GOP on debt ceiling talksVP says middle class will not "carry the whole burden" of deficit reduction By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 10:08 ET Vice President Joe Biden said Saturday the Obama administration wouldn't let middle class Americans "carry the whole burden" to break a deadlock over the national debt limit, warning that the Republican approach would only benefit the wealthy. Addressing Ohio Democrats, Biden said there had been great progress in talks with Republican lawmakers on a deficit-reduction plan agreement. But he insisted that his party wouldn't agree to cuts that would undermine...